Culture and Mission
- 작성자 : pastor
- 조회 : 21,330
- 16-09-30 02:33
I taught the class, entitled "Culture and Mission," for SFTS in the DMin degree program two times, some years in the past. Cultural relativism seems to be a solution by the collision among the cultures, put to Samuel Huntinton's observation out of the major wars in history. Religious relativism, put in another term, religious pluralism, may be another theme for hot discussion in the times when a number of people have insisted that religious fundamentalism has provided the clues of the human conflicts. Culture may be the case, not religion, however. Few would identify religion with culture. Culture is a product of living, living of religion.
These days, I have been in deep thoughts how to deal with those who attempt deconstructing Christianity in the name of cosmopolitanism. They insist the Jesus Christ be found in other religions of their scriptures, and salvation is possible through the teachings. What a word! The Bible says the name of Jesus be the only salvation (Acts 4:12). No names given!
Studies in cultures are useful for getting better strategies of mission. If the studies bring forth a challenge by religious relativism, we need to reconsider the perspectives.
Religious relativism is certainly an improvement on ethnocentrism and the racism, religious imperialism, and imperiousness that underlie it; the problem is that it is too late not to interfere. The forms of lives we find around the world are already products of long histories of interactions (paraphrased from Lila Abu-Lughod, "Do Muslim Women Really Need Saving?" page 213 of Conformity and Conflict. Fourteenth Edition by James Spradley & David W. McCurdy, Person.)
There is the Truth that saves all the sinners in the entire times of human history. That is Jesus Christ the Savior, who came to the earth as the fulfillment of the promises of God the Creator. We speak of the Savior as we deliver the Gospel. That Jesus cannot be found in any other writings but the Bible, the Revelation of God. To believe the existence of Jesus Christ in other religious writings besides the Bible is to add something to the finalized scripture, which is forbidden. "I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of his book; If anyone adds something to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book" (Revelation 22:18)
We Christians deliver Jesus Christ of the Bible. Christian culture is a product of the behaviors of Christians as they obey the Word.
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